Who Makes a Building Smart?
Smart Buildings need a contractor to manage the system integration component of a construction project, this role is called the Master Systems Integrator (MSI). The MSI acts on behalf of the client during construction to drive main contractor and building services specialists to fulfil their obligation to provide the required systems and devices. The MSI creates the digital eco-system to make these systems integrate, aggregate, and communicate with each other so the data can be accessed and used to optimise the working environment and the wellbeing of its occupants.
As an MSI we are the integration and smart technology specialists, so we work closely with our client and their design team to maximise integration opportunities and minimise risk for a secure system. Once the building is operational the MSI works to utilise the data produced by machine learning to optimise the building systems to ensure it evolves with the needs of the client.
Plan
What is your end goal for smart tech and data? What can you achieve? From here we can tailor a smart system to your needs. Once operational, machine learning can bring to light new opportunities for improvement, these will need to be planned before implementation.
Build
The MSI has top-level responsibility for the management of integrating all connected systems to ensure security compliance, network communication, control functionality, exchange of all data sets, parameters, and objects for the data model. We will develop the software layers and user interface to make it all work.
Deploy
During the project the building services and specialist contractors will install their systems and technologies which will be addressed as per the MSI data model requirements. Once connected our building software will begin to see and interact with these systems.
Machine Learning
Machine learning has the power to analyse the current state of all connected systems and present how they interact with the building, its environment and most importantly its occupants. Over time the system will be able to predict future occupancy on any given day based on the time of year, weather, day of the week and wifi or even coffee usage in the past. These trends will see significant improvements in energy consumption, space planning, waste reduction etc.
Fault Detection
Pinpoint faults and understand the cause before attending to rectify anywhere in your building, respond and interact with the faulty device remotely, save time and resources. In the project phase the FDD actively scrutinises the systems to begin auto-commissioning and preparing commissioning logs for each connected system vastly reducing the commissioning and handover period of complex building service systems.
Continuous Feedback
The smart building interface, the system data lake, machine learning and fault detection and diagnostics system provide you with access to continuous feedback about how the building is performing within every measured parameter. Our data scientists work with clients to help identify efficiency gains or opportunities for performance improvements to allow the building to evolve with them.
Data Lake
Like the cloud, but landlocked! This is a secure repository for all system data, regardless of protocol language to be securely stored. Data from connected systems, the building management system, the fault detection and diagnostics system is all collected, where it can be scrutinised by machine learning and accessed by the buildings user interface for control functions and workplace insights.
What will a Smart Building actually do for you?
Smart buildings are safer and more secure with anomalies detected before they become a risk. Devices are security approved and hardened before being connected, they can be updated remotely, and meet ISO27001 and client policy standards.
Your building can learn how you want it to perform based on the preferences and habits of its occupants, meaning happier more comfortable people. When you need local control, the user interface is simple and unified throughout the building.
Leverage machine learning, energy information systems and control functionality to reduce consumption by managing environmental influences like solar gains and HVAC load spikes.
Automated fault detection reduces the burden on FM teams and helpdesks. Wayfinding helps guide occupants and guests personally. Repetitive tasks can be learned and automated.
Monitor your buildings assets using integrated fault detection and diagnostics to provide predictive maintenance alerts and scheduling. Manage your building assets with machine learning to efficiently realise their total life cycle value.
Improve social interactions, make collaboration more accessible, flexible, and adaptable to the needs of the building’s occupants. Use the buildings technologies to enhance collaboration and predict the level of meeting space required.
Why an MSI is Essential for the Workplace
If you want to collect the data being produced by a Smart building so that you can interpret it and use it to improve the occupants’ experience of the building, you’ll need a MSI to develop software layers responsible for integration, aggregation and communication of the building’s systems.
The MSI Contractor holds the top level of integration responsibility on a smart building project ensuring that all systems meet compliance with an agreed Data Model*. MSIs often design & install additional systems on a project such as Fault Detection & Diagnostic Systems (FDD), Dashboards & Data Mining Tools, Digital Twins. CMMS Systems, Workplace Management Applications, Space analytics & lOT Sensors.
What is a Data Model?
*Data Model: By using an agreed Data Model or Schema like ‘Brick’ or Project Haystack’, the data from the building’s smart systems can be understood by people and third party software applications that weren’t involved in the original creation and collection of the building’s data. It’s an ontology that makes information and systems portable between buildings, hence future-proofing the building’s data.
Stephen Weir
MSI Director
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Client Testimonials
An Post are delighted to provide this testimonial for the AV project implementation recently undertaken by Hereworks. Their expertise, dedication, and professionalism in executing the project were truly remarkable.
From the initial consultation to the final delivery, Hereworks displayed exceptional knowledge and understanding of our requirements. They listened attentively to our needs and objectives, ensuring that every aspect of the AV project was tailored to our specific goals. Their ability to translate our vision into a tangible reality was truly impressive.
Throughout the project, Hereworks demonstrated exemplary project management skills. They maintained clear communication channels, keeping us informed about the progress at every stage. Their team consistently adhered to the agreed-upon timelines and delivered the project on schedule, which is a testament to their commitment to excellence.
The AV implementation carried out by Hereworks was flawless. Their technical expertise was evident in the seamless integration of various components, resulting in a fully functional and user-friendly system. The audio and video quality exceeded our expectations, creating an immersive and engaging experience for our audience. The attention to detail in the installation process was outstanding, and their team ensured that every aspect of the AV system was optimised for optimal performance.
Furthermore, the post-implementation support provided by Hereworks has been exceptional. They have been readily available to address any questions or concerns that have arisen since the project's completion. Their responsiveness and willingness to go the extra mile have instilled confidence in us that our ongoing needs will be met with the same level of dedication and professionalism.
In conclusion, I highly recommend Hereworks for any AV project implementation. Their expertise, attention to detail, and commitment to customer satisfaction are truly commendable. The successful completion of our project would not have been possible without their invaluable contributions. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership and look forward to collaborating with them on future endeavors.
Gerry Rogers, Director of IT Services / An Post
Working with Hereworks has been an absolute game-changer for our company. As a business that relies heavily on effective communication and collaboration, having top-notch audio and video solutions in our meeting rooms is crucial. Hereworks joined our new Dublin HQ launch project from the beginning, and the Hereworks team exceeded our expectations in every way. Their team displayed exceptional professionalism and expertise from the initial consultation to the installation and ongoing support. They took the time to understand our unique needs and provide tailored solutions that fit our requirements and budget, greatly enhancing our productivity and efficiency. A special thank you to Stephen, Leslie, Barry and Geoff for all their effort and time on this project. Thank you, Team Hereworks, and we look forward to continuing our partnership for all our future audio and video needs.
Jared Ding, Director & Head of IT at BDO
Hereworks joined our project in the midst of a real crunch, and they clearly understood the ask and immediately got to work on delivering at the highest of standards. The timelines were aggressive at times, with plenty of ad-hoc asks, all of which were never a problem for the Hereworks team. A big thank you to Les, Jonathan, Aaron, Ryan, Stuart, Stephen and the whole team, as it really did take a village to pull this off! "
Allyson Gormley, General Manager, Global Esports Production (RBC) "Project Stryker"
Having taken care of the AV Design internally for previous smaller office builds, this was the first time MongoDB decided to use an external vendor in EMEA and now that our new Dublin office is complete, I can safely say that it was a no brainer. It helped us take our company's AV setup to another level, from the initial design right through to installation. Adding to this the difficulties of carrying out such a project during COVID, overall I can say I am extremely pleased with the work from Hereworks. It was always a pleasure dealing with the guys on site and they were extremely helpful and patient, especially on any ad hoc changes that needed to be made during the project. Special thanks to Stephen, Les, Damien, Geoff and Misha who, in particular, I worked very closely with during this time. Thanks to everyone involved.
Shane Dooley, IT Team Lead - EMEA
